Two Weeks Notice Letter
Resigns a job with two weeks of notice, in the wording US employers expect.
Details
two weeks notice letterUploads
Your logo
A photo or picture
Goes on this page only. Drag it anywhere and pull its corner to resize it.
Your signature
Draw it with a finger, a mouse or a trackpad, and it goes on the page like a picture.
Pictures and signatures stay on this device. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
Red highlights mark what is still blank. Click anything on the page to change it. Your draft is kept on this device as you work.
Dear Sir / Madam,
Please accept this letter as formal notice that I am resigning from my position as [job title] at [organisation]. My last day of work will be [date], which gives two weeks from today.
I would like to leave things in good order. Over the next two weeks I will finish what I can and hand the rest over cleanly.
I understand this is an at-will position and that either of us may end the employment at any time; the two weeks are offered so the handover is not rushed.
Thank you for the opportunity and for what I have learned here. I am glad to help however is most useful before I go.
What is a Two Weeks Notice Letter?
A two weeks notice letter is the short, written resignation that American employers expect: it says you are leaving, names your last day, and gives two weeks between the two. It is not a legal requirement in an at-will state — it is a professional convention, and it is the thing future employers and reference-checkers remember.
Most US employment is at-will, which means either side can end it at any time for almost any lawful reason. No notice is owed. Two weeks became the norm because it is roughly how long a handover takes, and because leaving without it burns a reference you may need for decades.
There are situations where two weeks is the wrong number. A contract or union agreement may set a different period. Senior roles often expect a month. And if the workplace is unsafe or the situation is untenable, leaving immediately is a legitimate choice — just say so plainly rather than promising a notice period you will not serve.
Keep the letter short. Resignation letters are filed, not read closely, and the ones that cause problems are the ones that explain too much. Your reasons for leaving belong in a conversation, not in a permanent record.
What to put in a Two Weeks Notice Letter
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Issuing organisation | For example: Maple Grove Homeowners Association |
| Organisation address | For example: 1420 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Designation | For example: Senior Assistant |
| Last day of work | Free text |
| Employment basis | For example: At-will (US) |
| What you will hand over optional | One per line |
| Reason | Free text |
| Issued to (full name) | For example: James Whitfield |
| Their address | For example: 588 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
How to write a Two Weeks Notice Letter
Say you are resigning in the first sentence
No preamble. 'Please accept this letter as formal notice that I am resigning from my position as [title].' The reader needs the fact before anything else.
Name the last day, not the notice period
Write the actual date you will stop working. 'Two weeks from today' creates an argument about whether that means ten working days or fourteen calendar days. A date does not.
Offer a handover, and be specific
Naming what you will finish and who you will brief is the single thing that turns a resignation into a good reference. Two or three concrete items beat a general offer to help.
Leave the reasons out, or keep them to one line
You are not obliged to explain. If you want to, one neutral sentence is enough — a new opportunity, a relocation. Grievances do not belong here even when they are justified.
Thank them and stop
One sincere line. Then sign it, date it, and send it to your manager with a copy to HR so it is properly recorded.
Common mistakes
- Announcing it in a meeting or on chat before the letter exists — the written record should come first.
- Writing 'effective immediately' when you intend to work the two weeks.
- Listing complaints. An exit interview is the place for that, if anywhere.
- Forgetting to copy HR, so the resignation never reaches payroll.
- Promising a handover you have no time to deliver.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally have to give two weeks notice?
In an at-will US role, usually not — unless your contract, offer letter or a union agreement says otherwise. It is a professional convention rather than a legal duty, but employers treat it as one.
Can my employer fire me as soon as I give notice?
In an at-will arrangement, yes, and some employers do end employment on the day notice is given. That is one reason not to resign until you have the new offer in writing.
Should I send it by email or hand it over?
Both. Tell your manager in person or on a call first, then send the letter by email so there is a dated record.
What if I want to leave sooner than two weeks?
Say so directly and give the date you can actually work to. An honest shorter notice is better than two weeks you do not serve.
Should I say where I am going?
You do not have to. Many people prefer not to until they have started, and no employer is entitled to the answer.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.